2006 Candidate Forum
In each election year, the League of Women Voters has been a consistent and gracious host of televised candidate forums. This year is no exception, and, despite the fact that I am a lowly 3rd party candidate, I have been invited to the forum. The 24th district State Representative race is scheduled for 9/8/06 at 3pm.
I am looking forward to an evening of discussion about Kansas politics. I plan to raise my 3 issues as often as possible: 1) Eninent domain abuse, 2) No Child Left Behind, and 3) the sales tax on groceries. I believe all 3 of these issues are important to the people of the 24th, and they deserve to know that their legislature has been negligent in its duties with regard to these issues. In each case, the action taken by their lawmakers has been either insufficient or non-existent.
In addition to my 3 issues, I've learned a great deal from the people of the 24th district in my door-to-door campaign. I recently met a fellow firefighter who has been retired for some time now. The state has not given him any cost of living adjustment, nor have they increased his pension in any form for over 6 years. Yet the same state has the nerve to continue to demand more of his tax money. I would like an explanation for this.
I would also like an explanation for why our government sees fit to pass on a crushing debt to my children. For example, I've heard enough of the school funding argument. The fact is that our public schools leave much to be desired, but the only thing our politicians can seem to debate is how much more to give the schools and when. It's time we demand some fiscal accountability from our schools, as well as some results to correlate with the increases in taxes they continue to demand. How can we justify throwing more money at our schools when they insist on catering to the lowest common denominator? They are not subject to any form of consumer competition, nor do they have any incentive to leaner and more efficient. Furthremore, there is no recourse against the 2% of students who terrorize the other 98% who are there to learn but cannot because of their disruptive (and sometimes violent) behavior. Our public school systems lack discipline and their policies are merely paper tigers.
To my brother in the fire service, I say to you: You should not have to get a second job in order to finance your government's inefficiencies. You should not have to scrape up loose change to help your children put your grandchildren in private schools to escape the public school system. You, my friend, have answered the call. It's now time for the state of Kansas to answer your call.
I am looking forward to an evening of discussion about Kansas politics. I plan to raise my 3 issues as often as possible: 1) Eninent domain abuse, 2) No Child Left Behind, and 3) the sales tax on groceries. I believe all 3 of these issues are important to the people of the 24th, and they deserve to know that their legislature has been negligent in its duties with regard to these issues. In each case, the action taken by their lawmakers has been either insufficient or non-existent.
In addition to my 3 issues, I've learned a great deal from the people of the 24th district in my door-to-door campaign. I recently met a fellow firefighter who has been retired for some time now. The state has not given him any cost of living adjustment, nor have they increased his pension in any form for over 6 years. Yet the same state has the nerve to continue to demand more of his tax money. I would like an explanation for this.
I would also like an explanation for why our government sees fit to pass on a crushing debt to my children. For example, I've heard enough of the school funding argument. The fact is that our public schools leave much to be desired, but the only thing our politicians can seem to debate is how much more to give the schools and when. It's time we demand some fiscal accountability from our schools, as well as some results to correlate with the increases in taxes they continue to demand. How can we justify throwing more money at our schools when they insist on catering to the lowest common denominator? They are not subject to any form of consumer competition, nor do they have any incentive to leaner and more efficient. Furthremore, there is no recourse against the 2% of students who terrorize the other 98% who are there to learn but cannot because of their disruptive (and sometimes violent) behavior. Our public school systems lack discipline and their policies are merely paper tigers.
To my brother in the fire service, I say to you: You should not have to get a second job in order to finance your government's inefficiencies. You should not have to scrape up loose change to help your children put your grandchildren in private schools to escape the public school system. You, my friend, have answered the call. It's now time for the state of Kansas to answer your call.
posted by Jason E. Peck at 7:55 PM
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